A group of nearly 30 masked protesters at UC Davis on Wednesday descended on a conservative student group’s large debate tent on the quad, surrounded it, grabbed and commandeered it, and dragged it away as observers voiced opposition and several police officers watched, videos posted to social media show.
The activist were dressed in all black and held a large banner with the words “ACAB,” which stands for all cops are bastards.
“A demonstrator struck one observer who approached the group with a camera phone. Other demonstrators pulled down the tent and engaged in shoving with those staffing the tent and others nearby. The demonstrators left the area, then returned a few minutes later and again sought to remove a tent set up on the quad,” the university stated Thursday in a news release. “UC Davis police are investigating. No one has been arrested at this time.”
The tent belonged to the UC Davis chapter of Turning Point USA, a registered student organization, which was slated to host Brandon Tatum that afternoon. Tatum is a black conservative who describes himself as a former police officer and “Man of God.”
TPUSA’s videos of the incident, which have been shared on X by both Charlie Kirk and Elon Musk, has been viewed 36 million times in the last 24 hours. One of them shows what they are calling an “Antifa member” snatching a TPUSA supporter’s sign and hitting her on the head.
“The left is the party of violence & hate,” Musk said on X.
Andy Ngo, a prominent journalist who has been assaulted by Antifa members, opined on X: “This is an organized group of violent Antifa members. They wore the uniforms, shouted the chants and carried out acts of organized violent criminality in daylight in front of @UCDavisPolice. I’ve seen and experienced this many times.”
Our “Prove Me Wrong” tabling event with @TheOfficerTatum at UC Davis was completely destroyed by violent protesters.
They stole the canopy, ripped down banners, smashed foam boards, and even tried to steal the iPad and laptop of a @tpusastudents field rep.
TPUSA students were… pic.twitter.com/VlBVOxX6ZU
— Turning Point USA (@TPUSA) April 3, 2025
“Our ‘Prove Me Wrong’ tabling event with @TheOfficerTatum at UC Davis was completely destroyed by violent protesters,” TPUSA stated on X.
“They stole the canopy, ripped down banners, smashed foam boards, and even tried to steal the iPad and laptop of a @tpusastudents field rep. TPUSA students were shoved and had objects thrown at them—while police did nothing,” the organization stated. “Only after the damage was done did law enforcement finally form a perimeter. This is the reality of free speech on campus.”
“This is what ‘mostly peaceful’ looks like,” Tatum said on his Instagram page, posting a video of the melee.
UC Davis had a slightly different view.
“The event with the guest speaker took place on schedule and was completed without further incident. The university protected the free speech rights of the campus community throughout the event,” it stated in its release.
MORE: Firebomb and students chaining themselves to gates prompt police action at Columbia U.
IMAGE CAPTION AND CREDIT: A group of protesters seize a conservative students’ tent at UC Davis on Wednesday; X screenshot of a video of the incident.
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